Appliance for logging-railways.



No. 678,090. Patented July 9, I90L N. YOUNG.

APPLIANCE FOR LOGGING RAILWAYS.

(Application filed Mar. 5, 1901.

(No Model.)

UNiTED STATES ATENT' race.

NELSON YOUNG, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

APPLIANCE FOR LOGGING-RAILWAYS.

SPEGZEIQAEION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,090, dated July 9, 1 901. i 7

Application filed March 5,1901. Serial No. 49,754. (No model.)

My invention relates to an improved de vice for use in logging-camps to prevent the twisting of the heavy cables by which the logs are drawn through the woods.

It consists, essentially, of. a frame secured to the cable and having an extended base at right angles to the line of travel and adapted to rest upon the surface over which the cable travels. This frame or plate is prefer ably triangular in form.

My invention also consists in means of attaching a sled to the frame, whereby the sled drawn by the cable is made always to travel upon the skids.

Having reference to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a road-bed, showing my device upon it. Fig. 2is a similar view of triangular plate and connections. Fig. '3 is an elevation of the same.

It is customary to haul the logs from a disdonkey is provided with two drumsone for the large cable by which the logs are drawn and the other for the small cable by which the large cable is pulled back again into the woods. Hence the smaller cable is, sometimes called the pull-back line.

Whenever a load of logs is brought in on this heavy cable it is customary in sending it out again to attach a sled upon which the couplings for the logs, oil for the skids, 850., are sent out into the forest. :Generally two or three men will go out also on the sled. These large cables are usually about one and one-eighthli'nches in diameter, and the distance traveled is sometimes two miles or more. smaller cableamounts to from fifteen to twenty thousand pounds weight. This heavy tension on the pull-back line causesa great deal of trouble bythe twisting of these cables where they are joined and where the sled is attached, and ordinarily the sled-rope will equalize the strain.

corner of the triangle strikes the sheanskids,

The consequent strain upon' the become so twisted about the cables as the latter pass around the many sharp turns in the course of the road as to cause not only annoyance, but very considerable delay in the progress of theysled.

The objects of this invention are, first, to prevent the twisting spoken of, and, secondly,

ito cause a sled to travel in the center of the skid-road and out of contact with the pulleys. This result is effected by means of a triangular plate A, which is suitably attachedto the point of juncture of the two cables, as the ring 2. The base of the triangle rests upon the ground in such manner as always to oifer a leverage at right angles to the line of travel, so that no matter what the tendency may be of the cables to twist theyare effectually prevented from doing so.

I B represents the road-bed, over which the logs are hauled. This bed or track is com-' posed of transverse timbers commonly known as skids. Upon these skids at suitable intervals are the pulleys 3, around which the ca bles pass.

At the curves in the road guides,

as 4, are provided, known as shear-skids,

to protect the pulleys from the logs, 850.

Central of the base of the triangle is attached the sled O in the manner shown. A rope 5 is directly secured to thetriangle and is of proper length to allow thesled to pass with the greatest ease around the curves. In the end of this rope is a ring 6, to which are secured the two draft-cords 7. These cords fasten to the sled about three feet from the forward end in such a manner that as a curve is approached the cord on the outer side of the curve may be slackened, so as to At the same time the causes the triangle to swing outward, and insures the trailing sled following in the middle of the skids. Except where passing over depressions in the track'the cable lies close upon the, skids. This latter"- is always the case at. the turns,'}so that the triangleand sled then ride over the cable and-adjustthem selves accordingly. I Having thus described my'in'vehtion, what I claim'as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- v 1. The combination with'atraction-cable, of a frame, said frame having inclined sides too and means in the central line of the frame for the attachment of a cable, and an extended base at right angles to the line of travel, which base serves for the attachment of a following load and rests upon the surface over which the cable travels whereby the latter is prevented from twisting.

2. The combination with a traction-cable, of a triangular plate, said plate attached to the cable at one apex, the base of the triangle adapted to rest upon the ground at right angles to the line of travel.

3. The combination with a traction-cable of a frame having a point of attachment with the cable, said frame having a base at right angles to the line of travel, and means of attachment central of this base for a sled.

4. In a logging-railway, the combination with a road-bed and a surface-traveling traction-cable, of a triangular plate secured at one apex to the cable, the base of said plate adapted to rest upon the ground at right an gles to the line of travel, means central of this base whereby a sled may be attached, and guides disposed at the inner sides of the curves in the road-bed whereby the center of the base of the plate is made always to travel central of the road-bed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. i

NELSON YOUNG. WVitnesses:

JOHN MARSHALL, CHARLIE H. STEWART. 

